Achieving Sustainability in Mining

There's so much that our planet gives us for our consumption. These things come in different shapes and sizes, and some of the most abundant of them are minerals. Minerals are essential for living in these modern times, and when it comes to extracting them, mining is still the primary method used.

One of the biggest issues that any industry faces is sustainability, and the mining sector is certainly no exception to it. Some of the things that serve to constrain sustainability in this industry are the ever-increasing demand minerals, the consumption of resources that are needed to extract and process metals, as well as the pollution caused by the process of extracting them.

Increasing Demand for Minerals

There's no question that there's growth in the extraction of construction minerals. As more and more countries become more industrialized, the demand for such minerals is almost directly proportional to the growth in the construction industry. In the 20th century, we saw a growth in the extraction of construction materials. Demand for ores and industrial minerals also increased.

Impacts

Aside from the obvious impact mining has on the environment, it can also have a negative social impact. In order to keep up with the demand for mined resources, there's also a subsequent increase in mining activities to meet such demand. During the course of conducting such activities, there can be times when certain things are overlooked, including the short, medium and even long-term effects of mining activities in the community where they are done. This is then where there arises a need to balance the economic benefits of mining versus its potential harmful effects on the environment.

Sustainability and Maximizing Mining Benefits

There are ways to maximize the benefits we can get from mining as we improve sustainability both on the environmental and social fronts. This was specifically addressed in the Plan of Implementation of the World Summit on Sustainable Development. It identified three priority areas:

a. Support efforts to address the environmental, economic, health and social impacts and benefits of mining, minerals and metals throughout their life cycle;

b. Enhance the participation of stakeholders, including local and indigenous communities and women, to play an active role in minerals, metals and mining development throughout the life cycles of mining operations; and

c. Foster sustainable mining practices through the provision of financial, technical and capacity-building support to developing countries and countries with economies in transition for the mining and processing of minerals.

As long as efforts are made for mining to be environmentally, economically, and socially sustainable, we can enjoy the many benefits of mining without worrying about and suffering the potentially harmful effects mining can have on people and nature.

Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?Achieving-Sustainability-in-Mining&id=8108499

How Gold Mining of the Past Creates New Gold for Cash

The history of gold mining and the different methods for retrieving and producing gold from the earth is quite extensive. Gold has been extracted as early as 2000BC with the ancient roman civilization and has never stopped being mined since then. While the techniques have shifted slightly over the years, the process of finding gold and converting it into wealth has remained consistent and today you can sell gold for cash with ease. It is an interesting history to examine how this gold originally came from the earth.

The Roman civilization as we know were well advanced in their approach to science and this benefited their approach to gold mining. Hydraulic mines and pumps were used to excavate gold from various regions were it was discovered. Gold discoveries prompted the capture and expansion of several territories and countries by the Roman Empire. When gold was mined it was often used to produce coinage and served as the primary source of currency or exchange for goods and services where money really represented its value. Mining with the use of gold panning techniques also most-likely goes back to the Romans. This mining technique requires a prospector to slosh sediment containing gold in a pan with water using the naturally higher density of the metal to shift it to the bottom of the pan and all other dirt or rock forced out on top.

Between the time frame of 1840 to year 2000, the capacity of gold extraction has exploded with world gold production starting at a mere 1 ton growing to currently around 2500 tons. Over this time frame the significance of gold in financial terms hasn't changed with people who continue to sell gold for cash. The increase in production, however, can be attributable to more advanced machinery and mining practices. Hard rock mining is performed when gold is found in cased in rock and requires heavy machinery or explosives to grind rock down to the point that gold can be separated. For gold that is found in veins on loose soil, rock, or sentiment a common process of either dredging or sluicing is performed. These techniques are very similar to panning by allowing the gold to settle to the bottom, but are more practical in commercial application.

These are just a few of the courses your gold may have followed over the course of its use in human history. No matter what the case, it is always possible to sell gold for cash so that it may continue to follow its path and purpose in the human world.

Derek Robertson is a financial market analyst and writer. He has written for several years for publications in print and now on many blogs and online information resources. His background in investigative journalism enables him to provide a unique and unbiased perspective on many of the subjects he writes.

He also specializes in cash for Gold and Sell Gold.

Source:http://ezinearticles.com/?How-Gold-Mining-of-the-Past-Creates-New-Gold-for-Cash&id=5012666

CSR in the Extraction Sector

A study commissioned by the Canadian Mining industry found that Canadian mining companies were involved in 4 times as many mining "incidents" as companies from other countries. The study was intended for internal consumption only but has been leaked to the press recently. The study found that Canadian mining companies were involved in nearly two thirds of the 171 "high profile" environmental and human rights violations it studied occurring between 1999 and 2009. Members of the mining industry pointed out that the occurrences are in proportion to their representation on the global mining scene, indicating that they were no better or worse than companies from other countries.

First some background on the study. The study findings were captured in a report titled "Corporate Social Responsibility & the Canadian International Extractive Sector: A Survey". The report was prepared for the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) by the Canadian Centre for the Study of Resource Conflict (CCSRC). The purpose of the study was to measure the level of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in the "extractive" sector. The extractive sector, for those of us untutored in the terminology means exploration, gas, oil, and mining companies. The document leaked to the press was a first draft of the report, not the final draft. I should also mention that there is a bill, C-300, before the Canadian parliament which would make financing for foreign ventures contingent on meeting federally defined CSR standards. The exploration, gas, oil, and mining companies, and the organizations which represent them are very much against this bill. Leaking the negative aspects of this report was fortuitous for those in support of bill C-300 and disastrous for those opposed to it.

One of the observations the report makes is that adoption of formal CSR policies by companies with international interests is "remarkably low", but that those companies which have adopted CSR policies have experienced positive outcomes. The CCSRC contacted 584 companies which they felt met their criteria to participate in the study. Of those, 202 chose to participate. The first survey question was "Do you have a CSR policy or Code of International Business Conduct?" 56 of the 202 companies had documented policies in place. The study broke the 202 companies they surveyed into "junior" and "major" companies. 50% of the companies designated as major had documented CSR policies while only 21% of junior companies had one.

The survey also asked about the positive effects of a CSR policy. 24% of respondents claimed a reduction in conflicts or complications, 62% claimed better community relations (relations with the communities they were doing business in), and 25% reported increased shareholder interest. On the downside, 24% reported increased administration costs and 25% reported increased operating costs. One question they failed to ask was whether the benefits outweighed the costs.

The information I've stated in the preceding 2 paragraphs was gleaned from the final draft of the report. I don't have access to the first draft but apparently it described some of the 171 violations they were addressing in the study. I reported on one such violation in Project Management Tips section of this web site under the title "CSR Problems". The incidents reported on reflect the difficulty faced by companies who conduct business in some international locations. These incidents juxtapose our Canadian values and ethics with those of the countries our exploration, gas, mining, and oil companies do business in. One incident reported on, and attributed to the mining company's lack of CSR by the media, pitted one host community against another with the resulting violence blamed on the Canadian mining company. I'm not suggesting here that these companies have not made mistakes in the past, or that improvements cannot be made in their CSR efforts, I am suggesting that we should have realistic expectations about the effectiveness of a CSR policy to prevent any problems in a foreign venture.

A reasonable expectation in some cases would be that the company have a documented CSR policy which conforms to the standards and ethics of this country (Canada), abides by the laws of the host country, and conforms to the standards and ethics of the host country. The expectation should be tempered with the acknowledgment that the operating environment these companies encounter in host countries can be radically different than that found here. For example, when one community is in conflict with another over whether a mining operation should take place, we tend to look to non-violent forms of dispute resolution where some countries may resort to extreme violence to settle the dispute. Canadian companies frequently hire locals as security guards to protect their property as local authorities cannot perform this duty for one reason or another. It is reasonable to expect the hiring company to do its due diligence in hiring these people to ensure they don't create a threat to the surrounding community. It is not reasonable to expect that there will be no conflicts arising out of these situations. Where it is suspected that a security guard overstepped their authority, or engaged in illegal behaviour, it is reasonable to expect the employer to cooperate with the local authorities in the investigation.

North American companies doing business internationally have long had to deal with conflicts between acceptable corporate behaviour in their own country and acceptable behaviour in the host country. Bribery is the classic example. There are countries where bribery is not only accepted but essential to conducting business. Our laws will convict anyone proved to have offered a bribe but failure to pay the bribe may result in a failure to perform on the part of the North American company. Failure to perform might result in the loss of all or part of the company's investment in the project. Holding a company to this type of double standard can only result in one of 2 outcomes: the company will break the rule against bribery, or the company will cease to do business in that host country.

Since this web site is aimed at the project management community, let's draw some conclusions from the survey and CSR in general that may help project managers. The first conclusion I would draw from all of the above is that the CSR policy that governs your project must describe achievable goals. By this I mean that the goals, objectives, and standards stated in the policy must be within the project's power to achieve, or comply with. The second conclusion is that the right CSR policy carefully implemented can provide a business benefit to the organization. It is the project manager's job to ensure that those benefits are realized.

The goals and objectives of the project must include goals and objectives in support of the CSR policy. Those goals and objectives should be spelled out in the Project Charter and the connection between those goals and objectives and the CSR policy clearly defined. Make sure that the CSR related goals and objectives you set for the project are clearly defined, measurable, and obtainable and then agree with your stakeholders on the conditions that will indicate the goals have been met. Check for CSR policy goals and objectives that might conflict with each other and any of your project's goals and objectives, both CSR related and non-CSR. Goals and objectives you feel might conflict with each other, or with the CSR policy should be resolved by senior management. Start your escalation by drawing the project sponsor's attention to the conflict and ask for their help with resolution.

Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?CSR-in-the-Extraction-Sector&id=5675024

There is No Need to Disrupt the Schedule to Keep the Kitchen Canopy and Extraction System Clean

After taking over a large and beautiful stately hotel its new owner quickly realised that the kitchen extract system would not be straightforward to maintain because the duct work for the extract system was somewhat ancient and therefore would be difficult to clean.

A prestige hotel needs to maintain a high level of hygiene as well as to minimise the risk of a kitchen fire.

So, if replacing the entire system is not an option what can the new owner do to find a solution that would meet exacting standards of cleanliness and ensure that the risk of a fire starting in the system is minimised while ensuring that the cleaning does disrupt the operation of the hotel and restaurant as a business?

Using an experienced specialist commercial cleaning service to asses the establishment, the types of food cooked, how and at what level of intensity is the first step.

It is difficult without this information to advice on how maintenance should be carried out.

The frequency of the cleaning cycle for a canopy and its components depends not only on the regularity and duration of cooking below but also on the type of cooking and the ingredients being used.

Where  the kitchen use is light canopies and extract systems may only need a 12-month cycle for maintenance and cleaning. However, in a busy hotel, kitchen activity is most likely to be heavy and the cleaning company may advise a three or four-month cycle.

Grease filters and canopies over the cookers should ideally be designed, sized and constructed to be robust enough for regular washing in a commercial dishwasher, which is the most thorough and efficient method of cleaning them yourself.

It's important to make sure when re-installing filters that they are fitted the right way around with any framework drain holes at the lowest, front edge. Of course, grease filters are covered with a coating of grease and can therefore be slippery and difficult to handle. Appropriate protyective gloves should be used when handling them.

The canopies and their component parts should be designed to be easy to clean, but if they are not, provided the cleaning intervals are fairly frequent, regular washing with soap or mild detergent and warm water, followed by a clean water rinse might be adequate. If too long a period is left between cleans, grease will become baked-on and require special attention.

No grease filtration is 100% efficient and therefore a certain amount of grease passes through the filters to be deposited on the internal surfaces of the filter housings and ductwork.

Left unattended, this layer of grease on the non-visible surfaces of the canopy creates both hygiene and fire risks.

Deciding on when cleaning should take place, and how often, is something an experienced specialist cleaning company can help with. The simplest guide is that if a surface or component looks dirty, then it needs cleaning.

Most important, however, is regular inspection of all surfaces and especially non-visible ones. The maintenance schedule for any kitchen installation should include inspections.

Copyright (c) 2010 Alison Withers

A regular maintenance and cleaning schedule is not impossible even in the kitchen of a hotel with an antiquated canopy and duct system with the help of a specialist commercial cleaning company to advise on how to do it without disrupting the work flow, as writer Ali Withers discovers.

Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?There-is-No-Need-to-Disrupt-the-Schedule-to-Keep-the-Kitchen-Canopy-and-Extraction-System-Clean&id=4877266

Websites Can Contractually Restrict Third Party Scraping of Their Data

E-commerce service providers can contractually prevent other websites from copying factual information from their website for commercial use, such as for price comparison purposes.

On 15 January 2015, the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) confirmed in a preliminary ruling that websites not protected by a database right, are free to impose contractual restrictions on the use of their data. Interestingly, the CJEU acknowledged that the contractual restrictions could – if national law permits - be imposed through the website’s terms and conditions.

Let’s have a quick look at how this matter arose. Since the early days of online reservations, some websites discovered that they could attract a lot of visitors by comparing the online prices displayed by e-commerce websites selling competing goods and services. Originally such third party websites were called “content aggregators” and today one particular type, so-called “price comparison” websites, is widely-known.  To be able to aggregate such content and create added-value for the consumer, these websites use automated software that visits the e-commerce websites and copies the latter’s pricing information in real time. This practice is often referred to as “screen scraping” and frequently occurs in the online travel reservation business. Some of these third party websites do not only show the compared prices of airline tickets but act as an intermediary for booking travel packages, including car and hotel rental services on top of the airline ticket, often after adding a commission.

In response, low-cost airlines quickly started taking legal action against such screen scraping practices, fearing the loss of such additional, revenue-generating services to these third party websites and also through suffering reputational damage when consumers were not properly informed about issues such as flight changes and cancellations. In these circumstances there was one case between the low-cost airline, Ryanair, and the third party website owner, PR Aviation BV, in which the Dutch Supreme Court made a preliminary ruling request to the CJEU.

The CJEU, in its preliminary ruling on the scope of database protection and contractual freedom, ruled in Ryanair’s favour. It concluded that, in the absence of any database related copyright or sui generis protection on Ryanair’s website, Ryanair was expressly allowed to lay down contractual limitations on the use of its website by third parties. Ryanair would not have had such contractual freedom if its database enjoyed copyright or sui generis database protection (due to the restriction laid down in Article 15 of the Database Directive 96/9/EC). Ryanair’s terms and conditions, to which users had to visibly agree when searching for flights (but without needing to explicitly tick a box), indeed stated that the use of any automated system or software to extract data from its website for commercial purposes was prohibited. Ryanair even went as far as to explicitly state that other websites could not sell its flights and that price comparison websites had to enter into a written licence agreement with Ryanair,
to access Ryanair’s price, flight and timetable information for the sole purpose of price comparison.

As a consequence of the CJEU’s ruling, any website making available mere factual information not protected by any legal right, can still prevent others from using such information through its terms and conditions. Clearly, that website will have to demonstrate under applicable (national) law that the website visitor is contractually bound, in particular because it validly agreed to such terms and conditions. Depending on the applicable law, such agreement by the consumer could be considered as having taken place by ticking a box or merely after having been made aware of the website’s terms and conditions.

The CJEU’s ruling is likely to impact upon the business model of a number of content aggregating/price comparison websites. The ruling’s concrete relevance, however, will have to be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

Source:http://www.timelex.eu/en/blog/detail/websites-can-contractually-restrict-third-party-scraping-of-their-data